off the beaten track Geldingadalur volcano is perfect for tourism because it’s calm, small and very easy to fly around. ICELAND T h e s m i l e f a c t o r y Do you long to see the landscapes from series such as Game of Thrones or films from the Star Wars saga? Or perhaps you want to watch a volcano in mid-eruption without placing your life at risk… Norðurflug has been bringing dreams like these to life for 15 years. Article: Belén Morant. Photos: Norðurflug/ MaxMilliganPhoto read more read more Did you know? Article: Belén Morant ICELAND The smile factory With its fleet of two AS350 B2 helicopters and one H130, Norðurflug knows Iceland like the back of its hand as a consequence of its main business activity: showing both foreigners and fellow Icelanders the best the country has to offer. While tourists take to the skies in Norðurflug’s helicopters in search of thrills and unforgettable landscapes, major producers from as far away as Hollywood call on their services to find the most exotic locations for their films, series and commercials. “Our business is grounded on three pillars: firstly and most importantly tourism flights, secondly work on a number of filming projects in Iceland, and thirdly aerial work with slings,” explains Birgir Omar Haraldsson, CEO of Norðurflug. “We offer many different types of helicopter tours, including a tour of different filming locations, which is especially popular with Americans. We also have another one that goes to the Glacier Lagoon and visits volcano craters, and lately we’ve been doing a lot of flights over the Geldingadalur volcano, which began erupting on 20 March and is only a 12-minute flight from our base.” A well-prepared adventure This is not the first time – nor will it be the last – that Norðurflug has assumed the challenge of flying over a volcano to delight its customers. Volcanoes are an intrinsic feature of Iceland: following the famous eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in 2010, which brought aerial traffic in northern Europe to a week-long standstill, there have been various eruptions in Iceland that the company has been able to fly over without placing the helicopter or its passengers at any risk whatsoever. “Geldingadalur is perfect for tourism because it’s calm, small and very easy to fly around. Our expert in safety management, Gunnar Flóvenz, has carried out an exhaustive risk assessment that takes absolutely everything into account: the weather, the landing sites, fissures that may potentially open up and so on. We adapt our operations based on Gunnar’s advice,” explains Haraldsson. Defining and controlling risks Gas emissions constitute one of the main risks, and the team at Norðurflug analyses possible fissures and wind changes to avoid their impact. However, the greatest risk posed by this operation is a very different one that may come as something of a surprise: “We’ve been pointing out the potential risk that exists due to the large number of aircraft flying around the volcano, including drones. The authorities have restricted the airspace to a maximum of eight aircraft at a time. Unfortunately, this is a further challenge we need to include in our risk assessment.” Some 90% of Norðurflug’s customers are foreigners, although during the COVID-19 crisis, the locals became their main source of income. Norðurflug adapted to the new health situation with the systematic use of face masks and gloves, testing of passengers and continuous disinfection of the helicopters and equipment. “Now we’re flying at full capacity again and we’re seeing strong demand for flights thanks to this latest eruption. We love to see the reactions of our passengers when they fly over such breathtaking landscapes. In fact, we have a saying at the company: we’re like a smile factory, because everybody gets out of the helicopter after landing with a big smile across their faces!” Haraldsson concludes. Did you know? One of Norðurflug’s customers is the Environmental Agency of Iceland. Norðurflug supports them in their efforts to reduce the footprint of tourism and its effect on the environment through activities such as the airlifting of materials. Norðurflug Helicopter Tours has also been a member of the Responsible Tourism foundation since 2017. The company has set a number of goals to enhance its responsibility in terms of the environment, tourism and the local community.